Indian skipper Virat Kohli has ousted Bollywood superstar Shah Rukh Khan to become the most valuable celebrity brand in India, with a brand value of USD 144 million as he saw a growth of 56 percent since last year, according to a report.

This increase is Virat’s brand value has been primarily driven by his growing advertisement fees, cricketing performances and rise in popularity index, according to the Duff & Phelps report Rise of the Millennials: India’s Most Valuable Celebrity Brands.

The Duff & Phelps managing director and region leader – India, Japan, and Southeast Asia Varun Gupta said, “For the first time since we began publishing our rankings, Shah Rukh Khan has slipped from the top ranking and been replaced by Virat Kohli. Kohli is now the first choice of brands to engage and attract consumers, fueled by his extraordinary on-field performances and off-field charisma.”

Shah Rukh Khan has come down to the second rank, with a brand value of USD 106 million, down by nearly 20 percent as compared to 2016, while actress Deepika Padukone, valued at USD 93 million, retained her third rank.

Currently, Virat endorses 20 brands as of October 2017, while Khan and Padukone endorse 21 and 23 brands, respectively. Actor Akshay Kumar added seven new product brands to his duties and his brand value surged nearly 97 percent to reach USD 47 million in 2017.

Former Indian skipper MS Dhoni is the only other sportsperson to feature in the top 15 list, taking the 13th position with a brand value of USD 21 million. The total value of the top 15 celebrity brands is supposed to be USD 712 million.

Talking about the same, Duff & Phelps director Aviral Jain, “While Bollywood celebrities continue to dominate the top 15, sportspersons are providing tough competition as Kohli, Dhoni, and Sindhu, collectively valued at USD 180 million, account for nearly a quarter of the overall celebrity brand value of the top 15.”